Later that night, Adelind and I scoped up the kids and went to the mess hall. On the way there, I told her what had happened with Val and she was horrified.
“Is he okay?”, she asked.
“Yeah”, I replied, “he's shaken pretty badly, but Vez seems to have a thing for him, so I'm sure he'll be fine.”
We met Rolland and the others in front of the mess hall. Val was looking a lot better than he did. His scales weren’t that sickly pale blue that they were during fire practice, now being a deep, solid blue that mixed perfectly with his white markings.
“Hey Val”, Adelind said, “Tyro told me what happened, if I can help, just say so.”
“I was shaken”, Val said, “but Tyro and Rolland calmed me down, I'll be fine.”
“It's nice to have another female to talk to”, Vez said, “I've spent the last five months as the only female in a 200 dragon class. Ugh, so many hits.”
“Boys are such nightmares”, Adelind said laughing, “I know, I have three sons.”
Adelind looked at me and nuzzled me, “but he is a good one.”
I blushed.
“Enough yammer!”, Tyson squealed, “let's go eat!”
I picked up Tyson by his tail and we entered the mess hall. It was filled with good smelling smells and was alive with chatter, human and dragon alike. We took our usual corner and waited for the chef's to bring us our food. As we sat waiting, Hudson, Issac and Wyatt arrived.
“Hey guys”, Issac said, “mind if we dine with you tonight?”
“Your not reptiles”, Rolland said, “but okay.”
“Watch yourself Captain”, Hudson said, “I may be human, but you know as well as I do that I can still drop kick your ass.”
Rolland smirked, “I'll get you one of these days old man.”
“Doubtful”, Hudson said as he sat down next to us and reached out to pet Tyson, who purred contently.
“Your Dad treats you all well right?”, Hudson asked, “because if he didn't, I'd have to kill him.”
“Just try it old man”, I said laughing, “and for your information, my mate and kids are my life, I could never do anything to hurt them.”
Hudson laughed, “you and me both brother.”
Hudson shut up as the cooks brought us our food. It's steamy, spicy scent filled my nose and made my mouth water. I placed a slab of it between my paws and ripped a piece of it off. Like at home, it melted in my mouth so much I almost didn't have to chew it, but I did anyways.
“This is really good”, Tyson said, “so much better than what they fed me in the Ring.”
“Ring?”, Ator asked licking his snout, “what ring?”
“A fighting ring in Russia”, Tyson sated, “they didn't really fight me, but Razorback used me as a play thing, biting, clawing, fire, just doing anything she could to inflict as much pain as she could.”
Ator looked shocked, “how old are you?”
“Maybe a year”, Tyson said, “I keep forgetting, too much head trauma, I do remember that they killed my parents shortly after I was born. My Mom and Dad were both Veteran fighters and after I was born, they were forced to fight each other. They refused to attack one another...so the guards killed them.”
Tyson started to cry and I pulled him close to my side.
“That sucks what he went through”, Ator said shaking his head, “I got nabbed about six months ago while I was out playing with my little brother, I wonder if he ever made it back...or if our parents have missed us yet?”
“I know mine do”, Val said, “my Mom and Dad never let me leave the den unless my sister was near by. They grabbed me when I decided it would be fun to sneak out, and late at night of all times.”
“What about you Vez?”, Ator asked, “when they haul your pretty face up here?”
“You have no chance with me”, Vez said leaning on Val.
“Damn”, Ator said, “oh well.”
“About six months ago”, Vez replied, “same as everyone else. I didn't care at first because I was angry with my Dad for keeping me home too much, so like Val, I snuck out and got nabbed. I want nothing more now than to see him again and tell him I'm sorry.”
“What about you Adelind?”, Ator asked, “when they come for you?”
“Same time as Tyro”, Adelind said.
“Okay”, Vez said, “so what's your story Major?”
I huffed, “HDR, I went in on my own will because I had injuries that would have killed me anyways. I figured I had nothing lose and everything to gain. Now, I have the girl of my dreams and four kids with another coming, best decision I ever made.”
Adelind pulled me into a kiss. I could hear hushed laughter and Ace's usual gagging sounds.
“Get a room”, Hudson laughed.
I opened one eye to look at him and held up one claw. More laughter. When we finally broke our kiss after what seemed like forever, I turned to Rolland
“What about you Capt? What's your background?”
“I don't remember much of a damn thing Major”, Rolland said, “just that I was with my girlfriend when they came for me. It was way back when I don't even remember how long.”
Changing the subject, Ator asked.
“Wonder what squad were going into?”
“Hopefully one that keeps us all close”, Val said, “I don't want anyone but Tyro as a CO and I don't wanna go into battle with dragons I don't know.”
“I agree”, Vez said.
“Same”, Ator said.
“Me too”, Rolland said.
“Your a drill instructor”, Val said.
“Not anymore”, Rolland said, “Jackson put me back on active duty, said I'm more useful as a sniper than a drill guy.”
“Hope you end up with us”, Ator stated, “ain’t any dragon I'd trust my life to more than you.”
Rolland smiled, “thanks, means a lot brother.”
We talked for hours about the squad placements, each others pasts and we also made a promise that we would all stay together, no matter where our paths my take us. After dinner we said our goodbyes and went back to our barracks. My room was chilled to 60 degrees, perfect to sleep in. The kids jumped into there beds and began rolling around in there blankets. Adelind and I fought and after ten minutes, finally managed to drag them out and get them to take baths. It's not that they were misbehaving, just hyper.
“You kids need to settle down”, Adelind laughed.
“We can't Mom”, Helix howled, “were all hyper!”
I laughed, “yes we can see that sweetheart.”
Tyson splashed water at me, “you and Mom need to take baths too!”
“Oh we don't have too”, Adelind laughed, “were in charge.
“No fair!”, Dusk squealed splashing water at his mother.
Adelind and I were soaked by the time we finally got them to settle down and get them cleaned up. We put them in bed and then showered off, dried off the bathroom floor and then re entered our room. The Ace had mummified Helix in her red blanket and Dusk seemed to have kidnapped Tyson with his. Adelind and I lay with each other as we watched them play. Gradually, they tired themselves out and dragged themselves over to us, where they buried themselves underneath us and quickly fell asleep.
“Were lucky”, I whispered to Adelind as I kissed them all goodnight, “you know that?”
She kissed them too, “yeah, we are aren't we, they get along so well.”
I smiled and nuzzled her, “were doing something right.”
She kissed my cheek, “we are, goodnight my boy, I love you.”
She lay her head on my paws and I licked across her muzzle, “I love you too, goodnight my love.”
I curled around Adelind and the kids and lay my head over her neck. The blue moonlight shone through the window of my room and gradually carried me into a deep sleep.